Refuelling!!!

[steelerannie]

We are going on Oceana on 31.01.11 to the Caribbean and Panama Canal. We've had a letter from our TA telling us we need an ESTA (already done it!) we are going to be stopping for refuelling in Sanford. It will take 15.1/2 hours for the flight back from Accapulco to Doncaster! - This includes 1.1/2 hours for refuelling.

 

Will they let us off the plane or do we have to stay on?

 

Earlier this year we had free premium seat upgrades, wish we'd got it this time.:eek:

[ROSEBASKETS]

Sorry to here that. I don't envy you! Probably the first cruise i'm glad i'm not going on.

 

15 1/2 hours on a flight, omg! AND having to go to Doncaster.

Double whammy!!! :D

[steelerannie]

I know it's a long flight,:( but for us Doncaster is a great option. East Midlands wasn't available for us when we booked. If we didn't want to see the Panama Canal so much I wouldn't do such a long flight - this will be the only time we do it!:eek:

[C at Sea]

We flew back from Acapulco in January, flew to Manchester with Thomas Cook and didn't have to stop to refuel. Bit of a long gruelling flight though. Long flights never seem so bad going out do they?!

Flew economy and have to say didnt really regret it. Seats were fine and didnt seem that much less space than premium. Think they had their dinner served before us and an extra film channel!!

Anyway going again in Feb/March so couldnt have put us off! Mind you we fly there and back from Barbados which is not quite so long.

[angiebabes]

We are on the same cruise but fly from Manchester with Thomas Cook. We had a letter saying our flight was 11.5 hours with no refuelling so we are very lucky!

Angie

[jocap]

Sorry to here that. I don't envy you! Probably the first cruise i'm glad i'm not going on.

 

15 1/2 hours on a flight, omg! AND having to go to Doncaster.

Double whammy!!! :D

Love it!!!:cool:

But....we travel specially to Doncaster for our flights, as we HATE the big airports with multiple levels, and 1/2 mile walkways....In Donny, you see a plane land, and know that it's yours.....just a stroll away to the only plane on the tarmac.Super! :D

Jo.

[jeanlyon]

Get your Esta done before 1st September because after that they are charging £9 each.

[ROSEBASKETS]

Love it!!!:cool:

But....we travel specially to Doncaster for our flights, as we HATE the big airports with multiple levels, and 1/2 mile walkways....In Donny, you see a plane land, and know that it's yours.....just a stroll away to the only plane on the tarmac.Super! :D

Jo.

 

LOL It's just like Humbershed airport then! The flight crew come out of a green shed and walk to the plane with their scarves and moustashes waving in the breeze. I say plane...... the last time I caught a flight there the plane was so old it had propellers and I sat next to the rear gunner. Chocs away:D

 

Tarmac? surely it's ashphalt or crushed coal! You can see your plane landing because they can't land in the dark as there are no landing lights (or electricity for that matter)

 

The flight to Manchester is 4 hours shorter because it takes an hour to refuel at Stanford and 3 hours to battle through the headwind from Saddleworth to Doncaster:rolleyes:

[Single Cruiser]

Surely this is simply because the runway at Doncaster is not long enough for a fully laden plane to take off?

[ROSEBASKETS]

Surely this is simply because the runway at Doncaster is not long enough for a fully laden plane to take off?

 

Another Doncaster user! Doubled the number of passengers this quarter. You're quite right Craig! The planes can only take off when the cabin crew have removed all their make up (and that's just the blokes);)

 

Just to clarify to our American cousins who moderate the site....... this is called humour and is not intended to be derisory to the staff or facilites at Doncaster, just incase you think it's libelous :cool:

[Single Cruiser]

No I've never used it. Prefer the bigger airports like Manchester even though I live 10-15 mins from East Midlands.

[jocap]

Snort! :D:p

We prefer to by-pass Manchester these days...although it adds another 2 hours on the train....can't cope with the non-mobile walk ways......

RAF Finningley is the longest runway in the UK............almost reaches E. Midlands......

We go for the peace and quiet!!!

Jo.

[Thejuggler]

Surely this is simply because the runway at Doncaster is not long enough for a fully laden plane to take off?

 

The refuel is on the return which suggests the aircraft doesn't have the range to get to Doncaster, or it needs plenty of fuel when it returns to Doncaster.

 

Doncaster runway is just shy of 10,000 feet, plenty long enough for the type of aircraft used for cruises.

 

Goa flights used to refuel in Bahrain, but it only took about an hour, just long enough to get your duty free which is why they did it.

[steelerannie]

Now we've debated the length of the runway at Doncaster - can anyone answer my question!! :D

 

Can we get off the plane or do we have to stay onboard for the refuelling??

[ROSEBASKETS]

Now we've debated the length of the runway at Doncaster - can anyone answer my question!! :D

 

Can we get off the plane or do we have to stay onboard for the refuelling??

 

No you will have to stay on board, transit passengers aren't allowed in the terminal if they are to leave on the same aircraft, sorry!

[Thejuggler]

It depends. Bahrain we got off and stayed in a transit area with access to the duty free. They also cleaned the aricraft interior and loaded up meals for the next leg.

 

At Thessalonika (a required stop from Skiathos) we stayed on board, but it was only a 30 minute job to refuel - it would have taken longer to get everyone off and back on again.

[Elaine0138]

Hi Jo

 

We like Manchester as it is easy to navigate through even my mum manages it on her own.

 

the girls have missed you over on the UK board

[jocap]

Thanks, Elaine. Been difficult staying chatty in Seascale the past few weeks. I'll be returning.

Jo.

[The Welsh Man]

We are going on Oceana on 31.01.11 to the Caribbean and Panama Canal. We've had a letter from our TA telling us we need an ESTA (already done it!) we are going to be stopping for refuelling in Sanford. It will take 15.1/2 hours for the flight back from Accapulco to Doncaster! - This includes 1.1/2 hours for refuelling.

 

Will they let us off the plane or do we have to stay on?

 

Earlier this year we had free premium seat upgrades, wish we'd got it this time.:eek:

 

We did the same cruise from Cardiff last January, we stopped in Sanford for just over 1 hour to refuel. But we we're not allowed off the plane.

 

Everybody got out of their seats to have a stretch and talk to friends and family. No drinks etc, we changed Cabin crew and Pilot as well.

 

Also its one of those airports where there is a very steep ascent out of the airport (we were warned by the pilot).

 

It took us 13 1/2 hours including stop from Acapulco to Cardiff.

 

Hope this helps

 

Carl

[cruiseluvva]

When we flew to Buenos Aires we spent 3 hours in the Barbados terminal - in the middle of the night - with NOTHING at all open! 18 1/2 hours in all.

 

On the way back from Manaus, we refuelled at Tobago and which took well over 2 hours, but were not allowed off the aircraft and according to crew members, because the aircraft doors were open, not allowed out of our seats either! That was 14 hours.

 

Both stops involved refuelling and crew change.

[steelerannie]

We did the same cruise from Cardiff last January, we stopped in Sanford for just over 1 hour to refuel. But we we're not allowed off the plane.

 

Everybody got out of their seats to have a stretch and talk to friends and family. No drinks etc, we changed Cabin crew and Pilot as well.

 

Also its one of those airports where there is a very steep ascent out of the airport (we were warned by the pilot).

 

It took us 13 1/2 hours including stop from Acapulco to Cardiff.

 

Hope this helps

 

Carl

 

Thanks for that Carl. We've flown from Sanford before, so we knew about the steep ascent. We've been told it's 1.1/2 hours for refuelling, so we'll just get up and stretch our legs.

 

Ann

[annieuk]

We did the same cruise earlier this year and flew from Gatwick to Acapulco via Sanford. We were on the ground for just about an hour. You do not get off the plane. People wandered around and chatted and a new crew came on board. Within about 30 mins of take off a hot meal was served. Yes it's a long flight but it wasn't too bad. It took us 9 1/2 hours to get to Sanford and I think about 3 1/4 from there to Acapulco. The cruise is well worth the flight.

 

Carole

[steelerannie]

So if we can't get off the plane, why do we need an ESTA? I've already done them.

 

Ann